Ready or Not
by PhoenixDowner
Summary: Sora's a Heartless, and Kairi's been chosen to carry on his mission by the Keyblade. Together with Donald and Goofy, she must find Ansem… and a way to save her friend. KHI AU.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Heartless

The Heartless were closing in. Kairi had no weapon, no plan, and no way to fight, but it didn't matter. "This time, I'll protect you!" she vowed. She was determined to keep Sora safe, no matter what.

As if in response to her promise, there was a strange tugging on her heart. Her arm felt heavy, and a blade materialized in her outstretched hand. With a start, she realized it was Sora's blade. The Keyblade. Well, no time to waste. She shook her head to clear it, then swung the Keyblade at the nearest Heartless. Her movements were awkward and sluggish, but they got the job done.

"Kairi!" Donald and Goofy were by her side in an instant, helping her to defeat the rest of their foes. Before long, it was only the three of them, the three of them and one last Heartless – the one Sora had become to save her.

She stared at the Keyblade in her hand. How…

A roar shook the castle. Kairi looked up at the mysterious fountain above them. A hulking figure wearing torn clothes and a long, purple cape was balanced on top of it. He took one look at the scene in front of him before lunging and swiping at Sora.

"Hang on!" Goofy rushed in to protect his friend.

"Beast, that's Sora!" Donald shouted.

The Beast halted in his tracks. He stared in disbelief at the Shadow at his feet. "Sora? What… happened?"

Kairi's grip around the Keyblade tightened. "It's my fault. He became a Heartless to save me."

The Beast eyed the weapon in her hand. "So now you have the Keyblade." He turned to Donald and Goofy. "We need to seal the Keyhole. Belle and the other princesses can't leave until we do."

"But Beast, there were an awful lot of Heartless up there," Goofy pointed out. "Kairi doesn't really know how to fight yet. Do ya really think we oughta—"

"We can handle the Heartless. All she has to do is seal the Keyhole." He lifted Kairi up and placed her on his shoulder.

"We're going back?" she squeaked. Riku had told them to run. And how was she supposed to keep Sora safe if—

Too late. The Beast had already taken off, and it was all Donald and Goofy could do to follow. She twisted around to make sure Sora was with them. Thankfully, he'd figured out how to sink into the ground and travel that way. It was a good thing, too. There was no way he would have been able to keep up otherwise.

oOo

"Wak! I said its horn! Attack its horn!"

"I'm trying!"

"Gawrsh, Donald, look out!"

Ansem and Riku were gone when they finally made it back up to the Keyhole. The Beast cleared out most of the Heartless, and Donald and Goofy took care of the rest. Kairi helped where she could, even managing to defeat several more Shadows herself.

But then their luck ran out. They went inside the Dark Depths to seal the Keyhole, and a great big Behemoth was waiting for them. The monster charged them and stomped its enormous feet, and Donald and Goofy shooed her back outside. She knew they wanted her to stay out of it, but she couldn't just stand by the sidelines and wait much longer. She had to do something.

Something cold and clammy touched her arm. She jumped and summoned the Keyblade, ready to—

A small Shadow blinked up at her, shrinking away from the weapon in her hand.

"Sora, that's you, isn't it?"

There was a pause, then the creature nodded. Wait, did that mean—

"You can understand me, can't you?"

Another nod. She had no idea how, but she wouldn't question it for now. She let the Keyblade disappear and knelt next to him. "Good. Look, I need your help. I don't really know how to fight, and… well… they need the Keyblade. They need you, but I'll do what I can to help."

Sora waddled over to the Dark Depths and launched himself through the opening. He was gone for a few moments before returning to her. With his strange, clawlike appendages, he grabbed his antenna and smooshed them together.

Oh, she knew what he was doing. It was like the games of charades they used to play as kids. Sora had always been good at it, with his expressive faces, over-the-top gestures, and competitive streak. Whoever was on his team usually won. No amount of goofiness was too much for him, if it meant his teammates got the right answer.

She just never thought it'd come in handy for something like this.

He pressed his antenna together again, more impatiently this time, and her focus snapped back to him. "Oh, right, it's got a horn."

Next, he swung his… arm? around, mimicking the hacking motion he always used when he fought.

"So I should attack the horn. Got it. I figured as much, from what Donald said."

He hunched over and pointed to his back, then made a climbing motion with his arms.

"And… climb up on its back to do it?"

He bobbed his head up and down.

"Great, thanks." She swallowed. It was worth a shot, and she wanted to help. "Stay here, I'm gonna—" But he'd already charged back in. "Sora, wait!" She took a deep breath and jumped through the opening after him. By the time she'd gotten her bearings, he'd scrambled on top of the Behemoth's back. He turned and beckoned to her.

"Right, I'm coming!"

Donald and Goofy whirled around at the sound of her voice. "Kairi! What are you doin' here? We told you to—"

Goofy was interrupted by a shot of dark lightning. Kairi ducked out of the way just in the nick of time. She jumped and dug her fingers into the Behemoth's hairy side, pretending it was one of the trees she used to climb with Sora and Riku back home. It stomped its feet and threw her off. Unperturbed, she launched herself at it again, this time successful. She scrambled up its back and stumbled towards its horn, hacking away at it as soon as she was close enough.

"Good idea!" Donald nodded his approval and joined her. "Wak! Oh, that's just you Sora. Look out!" His Blizzard spell hit the horn of the Behemoth, and it finally stopped moving. The Beast moved in, his claws working swiftly and effectively, and Goofy launched himself, shield and all, at it over and over again.

It didn't take long after that to subdue their enemy for good. They let Kairi deal the finishing blow, and the creature's heart was released, free at last from its dark prison. Afterwards, she turned her attention to the Keyblade. She pointed it at the Keyhole like she'd witnessed Sora do so many times and hoped for the best. Sure enough, a beam of light shot out of it and sealed the Keyhole.

"We did it!" Donald and Goofy cheered. They exited the Dark Depths and examined their handiwork.

The Beast grunted. "I have to go find Belle and the other princesses." He was about to leave when something stopped him. "My apologies to Sora for what happened." He placed a claw on Kairi's shoulder and cleared his throat. "But you're not a bad fighter yourself. Take care of him. He needs you."

He gave her a meaningful look, and with that, he was gone. The adrenaline began to wear off, the reality of their situation sinking in.

 _I have the Keyblade. Riku's gone. Sora's a Heartless. And Ansem's still out there._ Kairi slumped to the ground, her energy completely spent.

Goofy put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He's right, Kairi. Now that Sora's…" His voice trailed off, and he cleared his throat. "You're gonna have to fight, if you're feelin' up to it."

"You were great back there," Donald added in encouragement. "Jumping up on the Behemoth's back – good thinking!"

Kairi sighed and shook her head. "That wasn't me. Sora told me to do that."

"Sora?"

"But how?"

"He – he can understand me. He's not like other Heartless."

Donald and Goofy looked at each other. "Kairi…"

"You saw him earlier! He hasn't tried to attack any of us, not even once."

Goofy scratched his head. "Well, I guess it's possible. It'd make a lot of sense, actually."

Sora emerged from the Dark Depths to rejoin them. As the truth of what he'd become stared them in the face, it was like all the air was being sucked out of the room. Kairi's heart sank, guilt and sorrow mixing together in a painful combination as she looked back at him.

 _Oh, Sora. What are we going to do with you?_

oOo

Kairi rolled over and groaned. They were on the Gummi Ship, and she was trying to get some sleep below deck… on the floor. She didn't feel comfortable sleeping in Donald or Goofy's beds, let alone Sora's, so she'd stolen his blanket and a spare pillow and dragged them onto the floor with her instead. His blanket smelled like him, and she'd made a cozy nest for herself out of it that reminded her of home.

Still, her muscles ached from trying to sleep in such an uncomfortable spot. She opened her eyes, only to find herself staring straight into a pair of large yellow ones. Yelping at the sight of the Shadow before her, it took her a moment to remember what had happened and who it was.

"Oh, it's just you. Sorry, still not used to the whole…" She trailed off, not really wanting to finish the rest of the sentence, and Sora hung his head. She reached out to try to touch him, but he slunk into the corner before she could.

"Sora…" His antenna perked up in response to his name. She wished he hadn't run away from her. He had nothing to be ashamed of. How could she get him to see that? What he'd done had been so brave, so selfless. Her throat closed as she thought about his sacrifice. It was all too much, the emotions of the previous day finally overwhelming her. She was scared; scared of the duty thrust upon her, overwhelmed by the worry that Sora would never be himself again, that Riku was lost to them forever.

"I-I can't sleep," she finally confessed. The way her voice cracked made it even worse. She wanted to be strong for him, the way he'd been strong for her. At the sight of her distress, he scooted closer, reaching a claw towards her before jerking it back.

 _Oh, Sora. You're scared you'll hurt me, aren't you?_

She realized why he'd been watching her. It wasn't just to protect her, though that was certainly a part of it.

"You can't sleep, either, can you?" she asked, though she already knew the answer to her question.

He shook his head. Kairi felt a surge of pity. What if he couldn't sleep at all? Did he really have no relief from the horror of his current state? Well, even if that were the case, she would do something about it. She patted the space beside her.

"Come here." He did as she asked, waddling over and staring at her. She smiled and held her arms wide, pushing down her natural fear of what her best friend had become. He was still Sora to her, and that was all that mattered. He hesitated for a moment before climbing into her arms. Finally. She pulled him close, imagining what it would be like to hug him for real. He tried to wriggle away, but then relented and nestled his head against her chest. She felt an unexpected surge of warmth at the contact, even though his body was icy cold.

"I'll find a way to save you, I promise," she whispered, curling her body around him. There. Now any attacks would have to go through her first. It was only fair; after all he'd done for her. As she drifted off to sleep, it dawned on her that the very creature known for stealing people's hearts was now resting directly against her own. But it didn't matter. Sora would never hurt her, not even as a Heartless.

 _Besides, he doesn't need to steal what's already his._

 _If only… if only he knew._

oOo

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. This story is going to be five chapters total and about 10,000 words, and updates will be on Sundays. I saw a tumblr post a while back that was the original inspiration for the story, but unfortunately I didn't have the foresight to take a screenshot of it, and I can't remember who came up with the idea. Whoever you are, anonymous person, thank you. A big thank you to FlowerLady-Aerith, too, for looking over the story for me before I started posting it. And for anyone wondering, I'm still working on the sequel to Dear Sora. I'm at about 30,000 words now, so progress is coming along smoothly. Anyway, have a great day everyone!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Promise

In the days that followed, Sora never left her side. With exaggerated gestures and body language, he explained how to use the Keyblade. Combined with Donald and Goofy's help, she was learning how to fight at a good pace. Was she anywhere near ready to face Ansem? No, but Radiant Garden wasn't built in a day, either.

Radiant Garden. Her old home. Visiting it again had brought back vague memories, memories she'd forgotten she even had. It was a shell of the place it used to be. It didn't even have the same name anymore. She wished she could remember more about it, especially her grandmother. The old woman's soothing voice came back to her in the words of the story she'd shared with Sora, but everything else about her was foggy.

Oh well. Reminiscing would have to wait for later. Really, the biggest hurdle now was the small Shadow who insisted on fighting beside her. Sora meant well, but he was so weak compared to most of the other Heartless that it was almost laughable. Almost.

But what could she do? She didn't have the heart to tell him they didn't need him to fight. Especially since he had been such a big help with the Behemoth. Besides, there was little else he could do in his current state, and she didn't want to take this away from him, too. If it meant she had to spend extra time and effort guarding him, then so be it.

There was another problem, though, one inherent to the situation they'd found themselves in. They kept mistaking Sora for a normal Heartless. Something had to be done about it, and sooner rather than later.

"Wak! Oh, it's just you, Sora." Donald shook his head and sighed. "We can't keep doing this."

"Donald's right. Either you gotta stop fightin'—"

Sora crossed his arms at this suggestion. If he'd been human, Kairi knew exactly the kind of pout he'd be making right now.

"—or we need to change your appearance so you stand out a bit more. It's for your own good, Sora. We don't want you gettin' hurt."

 _Well, more than you already have,_ Kairi thought sadly.

"I've got an idea," Donald said. He held his wizard's staff high in the air, and with a flick of his wrist Sora changed colors from pitch black to bright red with blue and white polka dots.

"Uh…" Kairi didn't want to be the one to say it, but he looked even creepier than before. She'd gotten used to his Heartless form. It was almost cute, in a way, with its big yellow eyes and expressive antenna. This was just… well…

Sora knew. He held his claws out in front of him and jumped. He couldn't make much noise as a Heartless, but his body language usually made up for it. He turned to Donald, his yellow eyes squinting into what would have been a grade A Sora glare.

"Well, Donald, that's a good idea," Goofy said, ever the diplomatic one, "but I'm worried the other Heartless might notice and try to attack him." It was a problem enough as it was. The Heartless in any given area didn't take long to figure out Sora wasn't acting like one of them. What usually followed was a full out attack on him that the rest of them had to fend off.

"Well, what would you suggest?" Donald asked. He turned Sora back into his original color. Kairi wished Donald could just poof him back into a human as easily as he could change the color of his… skin? Did the material he was made up of now even count as skin? Whatever. She didn't know what Heartless were made of, so skin it was.

"Hmmmm, maybe we could give him a mark or—I've got it! Y'know how Pluto's got a collar?"

Sora was not amused by this suggestion. He hung his head, his antenna drooping.

 _Well, of course he doesn't like being treated like an animal._ Donald and Goofy meant well, but they didn't seem to realize how much being a Heartless was wearing on him. It's not that the collar was a bad suggestion; in fact—

"I've got an idea," Kairi said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her lucky charm. She'd made it from Thalassa shells, and it was in the shape of a paopu fruit with Sora's face carefully drawn on it. She knelt and placed it in his claws.

"It's my lucky charm. I wanted to give it to you before we left home, but I never got the chance." His claws tightened around it. He looked up at her, and she smiled. "I was thinking, maybe we could make it into a necklace for you. We'll have to shrink it and attach it to a chain, but I think it'll work."

Goofy pulled a Protega Chain from his pocket, and Sora relinquished the charm so Kairi could give it to Donald.

"I'm on it." Donald created the necklace as requested. His handiwork was lovely, the chain and charm woven together like they'd always belonged as one. Kairi knelt once more to fasten it around Sora's neck. It was the first time they'd been this close since that first night. For a moment, she could almost see his spiky hair and his bright blue eyes as he gazed at her. Then it was gone.

She cleared her throat and stood. "You – you can borrow it for now, but be sure to give it back to me!"

He nodded, his eyes squinting like they always did when he smiled. Her heart lurched as she pictured the expression he'd be making right now as a human. She wanted to tell him. But what good would it do? If anything, it would only make him more miserable, knowing that if he wasn't trapped like this, they could—

"Kairi! Heartless!" Donald shouted, summoning his staff.

Well, no time to ruminate over her regret now. It would have to wait for later, in the quiet moments between waking and sleep. She summoned the Keyblade and charged, Sora right on her heels.

oOo

"Freeze!" Kairi pointed the Keyblade at a group of Red Nocturnes nearby. The temperature around her dropped, and blinding white snow shot out of it and hit them full force. They turned to ice and shattered, releasing several hearts to the sky.

"There ya go Kairi, you're really gettin' the hang of it!" Goofy punched the air and cheered.

"You're a natural!" Donald put his staff away and nodded in satisfaction. "Why didn't we think to teach you magic before?"

Today had been her first day of magic training, courtesy of Donald himself. While Kairi was getting better at using the Keyblade, he thought he'd try teaching her magic, too. They'd only gone over basic elemental spells today, but Donald had already decided to teach her more.

"Maybe we should take you to see Merlin," Goofy said. "He trained Donald. I'm sure he could train you, too."

Kairi considered this. Maybe she should learn magic from someone like Merlin. He was a powerful wizard. He might even know something that could help Sora.

"Is there any magic that lets you restore people to how they're supposed to be?" Sora's antenna perked up from where he was watching from the sidelines. Kairi's gaze lingered on him for a moment before flickering back to Donald and Goofy. "Like… Cure, but stronger."

"Well, white magic might be able to help. But that's more the king's specialty." Donald sighed and began gathering their things.

Goofy joined him. "I wish we knew where he is, but he's been missin' for some time now. We've been searchin' for him, which is how we found Sora in the first place."

"Oh, okay," Kairi replied, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice. It was worth a shot, anyway.

"I'd try, but the white magic I know just destroys Heartless," Donald added. "Sorry, Kairi." He disappeared inside the Gummi Ship, preparing it for takeoff.

Sora's antenna drooped, and Kairi chewed her lip, forcing back the urge to cry. She couldn't take this much longer, seeing him suffer in silence. Every now and then, she'd catch him when he didn't think anyone was watching. He had no way to voice his feelings, no way to cry, no way to scream, but the drooping head and shuffling walk were enough to let Kairi know. He was human, and every moment he remained in this form was pure torture, plain and simple.

She watched as he shuffled after Donald onto the Gummi Ship and sighed. Goofy stopped what he was doing to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're a Princess of Heart, Kairi. If what you did today is any indication, I'm guessin' you'll be real good at white magic. Who knows, maybe you'll figure out a way to help him yourself."

Kairi didn't have the heart to tell Goofy that that's what she'd been thinking about this entire time. That she still hadn't come any closer to a solution.

"Now, I know what you're thinkin'," he said. "But I think you've got it in yourself to save him."

Kairi wanted to believe Goofy. Wanted to take comfort in his words, knowing they could be true. But she couldn't quite manage it. She summoned the Keyblade and held it to the sky, staring at the way the golden afternoon light reflected off of it.

"Goofy, all I have is this Keyblade that isn't even mine. How can I possibly help Sora?"

"Maybe you're thinkin' about this the wrong way," Goofy suggested.

"What do you mean?" she asked. On her own, she was weak and powerless. The Keyblade was the only reason she'd been able to protect Sora in the first place.

"Kairi, the Keyblade isn't what makes you special."

She let it disappear from her hand. "Then what does? Without it, I'm nothing. Just a helpless girl who couldn't even protect her home from being destroyed."

Goofy shook his head. "Now that's not true. Sora and Riku don't think that, and neither do me and Donald. You've got an awful lot of heart, Kairi, and that's what really matters. The Keyblade wouldn't have chosen you otherwise."

Kairi turned to him. "You… really think so?" she asked, her voice small.

"I know so. It chose Sora over Riku for that same reason. And when you protected Sora, the Keyblade saw how strong your heart was and went to you. Who knows, maybe you'll get a Keyblade of your own someday."

This piece of news came as a surprise to her. "There's more than one?"

Goofy scratched his head. "Well gawrsh, I think so. It was years ago, but me and Donald met some folks who had Keyblades of their own. Sora and King Mickey didn't used to be the only ones."

She considered what he'd said. Even though she'd been using it for a while, the Keyblade she had now still didn't feel like it was hers. She'd give it back to Sora in a heartbeat if she could. But she also wanted to help, and having a Keyblade seemed like the best way to do that. Maybe Goofy was right. Maybe it really was possible for her to have a Keyblade of her own someday. Then she and Sora could fight together.

"You've just gotta believe in yourself, Kairi. It'll happen when the time is right. And that goes for savin' Sora, too."

She placed her hand on her chest. "Yeah. I think… I think my heart's the key."

"Wouldn't surprise me. Your heart's somethin' special, Kairi."

She thanked Goofy and helped him gather the rest of their things. She had a new lead to follow now.

 _Hang in there, Sora. I'll figure something out, I promise._

oOo

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reading. I'm adding this note because I realize I didn't respond to my guest reviewer yet for Chapter 1. Thank you for the review, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Help

Sora had gotten better at fighting as a Heartless. He hacked at enemies with his claws. His kicks sent them flying. He could jump high for something his size, allowing him to spring on their foes unawares. And his ability to sink into the ground served as an excellent dodging substitute. But as Kairi knew would happen eventually, he was dogpiled by a group of Soldier Heartless one day. Donald and Goofy continued to fight as Kairi dragged him away to safety. His injuries were bad, black smoke oozing out of spots all over his body.

Really, he had no business fighting. Not against their current adversaries. But every time they tried to get him to stay back, he raced in to help. And Kairi didn't want to just drop him off in Traverse Town and leave him alone. The thought of being separated was something she couldn't stomach.

"Hold still," she instructed. Donald had been working with her on her healing magic, and now was as good a time as any to practice it. She touched the side of Sora's head where the biggest gash was. He jerked back and held his claw up to it. She scowled and pried his hand away. "That's what you get for rushing in like that! Really, Sora, when will you learn?"

He hung his head at her scolding. She sighed and tried to be gentler. "I know it's pointless to tell you not to fight, but I wish you'd be more careful. If anything else were to happen to you, I don't know if I could…" She trailed off and focused on healing instead. A green glow emanated from underneath her palm as her magic did its work. There. The spot was healed. Time to move onto the next—

She hesitated. Was it her imagination, or was he leaning into her touch? She let her fingers linger there, and he closed his eyes. A faint blush crept up her cheeks, but instead of jerking her hand away, she kept it there, using her thumb to caress his face. It felt strange, touching his cold, shadowy skin, but not unpleasant.

He opened his eyes, and the unexplainable thing from before happened again. It was like she could see him as he really was. His mouth was slightly parted, his chest rapidly rising and falling, probably from his injuries. Her lucky charm was still on a chain around his neck, along with his usual crown necklace. She cupped his cheek, and the look he gave her in return set butterflies loose in her stomach.

"Sora…"

The moment was ruined by a stray Heartless. Kairi zapped it with a Thunder spell and turned her attention back to him. Yellow eyes blinked back up at her, and her heart sank. But she couldn't let him see. As sad as she was, she could only imagine how he felt. He was like one of those princes in her grandmother's stories, cursed by some terrible spell to be trapped in a hideous form until he found his true love.

She plastered a smile on her face and healed the rest of his wounds, this time with no direct physical contact. She wasn't sure she could handle another disappointment. She didn't want to put him through it, either. Until she figured out a way to save him, she couldn't indulge her foolish fantasies.

The truth was, she wanted to be the one who would break the spell. She wanted to be the one to save him. But so far, she hadn't been able to do anything. Some princess she was. Sora needed someone who could really help him, and it was time she gave up her pride and asked for assistance. They still hadn't found Ansem, so what would it hurt to make one more detour?

"Donald, Goofy?" she called. "I… if it's possible, can we go see Merlin?"

oOo

"Oh dear." Merlin adjusted his spectacles and peered down at Sora. "He really has become a Heartless. I never would have thought he of all people would become one." Sora blinked and rested his head in his claws. He'd been sluggish the whole journey here, and Kairi was growing more and more worried about him.

"Please, Merlin. Is there anything you can do to help?" she begged. She was at her wit's end. They'd already wasted enough time as it was, and they were still no closer to finding Ansem or Riku, let alone saving Sora.

"I'm sorry, my dear. Heartless transformations are a tricky business."

"I hear a 'but' in your voice," Donald said, wise to his old master's ways.

Sure enough, Merlin's eyes twinkled. "I'm afraid I can't do anything to help, but that doesn't mean you can't."

"But how?" Kairi cried. "Everyone keeps telling me that I have to be the one to save him, but I don't know how! I don't know any white magic except what Donald's taught me, and the attacks Goofy's shown me won't help, and Sora's doing what he can to help us fight but I know it's killing him on the inside that he's stuck like this and all I can do is watch him suffer day after day as we try to track down Ansem, and Riku's still missing and home's gone and I— and I—"

She collapsed into a pile on the ground. Sora was by her side in an instant. He climbed into her lap and reached up to brush the tears from her cheeks, being careful not to hurt her with his shadowy claws. It was like she could hear him telling her not to cry, that he was here and everything would be okay. This had the opposite intended effect, making her cry even harder. She gathered him in her arms and held him close.

After she had no more tears left, Goofy handed her his hankie so she could blow her nose, and Merlin cleared his throat. "Now my dear, I think you do know how to help him. But I can't tell you, or it'll spoil the magic. This sort of thing is very delicate, you see." He got a faraway look in his eyes as he continued on. "Why, when Wart and Jenny first met, she didn't even know he was the King of England! But it was better that way, because it meant she got to know him as Wart and not as Arthur."

"Uh, I don't mean to pry, Merlin, but who are Wart and Jenny?" Goofy asked.

Merlin grew very quiet. "Oh, they're old friends of mine. Quite old. Very old. But no matter. The point is, Kairi can help Sora, but no one can tell her how to do it. It's something she must figure out for herself."

Sora, still nestled in her lap, looked up at her. She knew what he was thinking, knew the trusting and hopeful look he'd be giving her right now if he could. She sighed and patted his head. If only she had his confidence.

oOo

Kairi took the wand Merlin had given her out of her pocket again and studied it. Its pearly surface gleamed as she turned it this way and that. She pointed it at the fireplace, determined to practice as often as she could. Sparks flew from the end of it and started a crackling fire. She smiled and tucked it back into her pocket, rubbing her hands by the fire's warm glow.

Since they were in Traverse Town already anyway, they'd decided to pay Cid a visit. Donald asked him if he had any more Navi-Gummis he could spare as the rest of them looked around.

"Well, now that Ansem's left Hollow Bastion, I was planning on saving this one for myself and Leon and the others," Cid said, indicating the gummi in his hand. "Haven't seen the place in nearly ten years, and it's about time we went home. You haven't picked up any more of these, have you?"

They shook their heads. None of the places they'd been had Navi-Gummis.

"Well," he said, adjusting the straw in his mouth, "good thing I've been savin' somethin' special. Go to the secret waterway underneath the town. There's a big old mural there. Find the gummi piece inside and I'll put it on your ship for you."

They did as he instructed. The mural was beautiful, starting out as a picture of the moon and stars before transforming into an image of the sun. Kairi couldn't help but stare at it. The place reminded her of the Secret Place back home, and she told Sora as much. He bobbed his head up and down in agreement.

 _If only we could see it again._

Cid installed the new Navi-Gummi as promised. Donald took Sora to get more supplies, and Goofy asked her if she'd like to go for a walk. They strolled through the First District's streets, wandering into back alleys and exploring nooks and crannies together.

Presently, Goofy spoke up. "Now Kairi, Donald and I have been talkin' about what to do about Sora."

Kairi stopped. She didn't like where this was going. "What about him?" she asked.

"Donald checked the ship, and it looks like the new Navi-Gummi Cid put on is gonna take us somewhere we haven't been before. We might even find Ansem."

Kairi gulped. She wanted to fight, wanted to stop the man who had destroyed so many lives and worlds, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared. Her fighting skills had improved, but she still didn't feel anywhere near Sora's level. Even with Donald and Goofy at her side, she wasn't sure she could defeat Ansem. Not for the first time she wished Sora still had the Keyblade.

"That's good news, right? We can finally put an end to this," she said at last.

"Yeah, but there's somethin' else. Sora wants to help, I know he does, but we think it'd be better if he stayed here."

So that's what this was really about. "Goofy—"

"We didn't think you'd be too happy about it. Sorry, Kairi, but I don't know what else we can do. If Donald and I thought we could beat Ansem alone, we'd let you stay here with him. But we need your help to defeat him and find our king."

She sighed. "I don't want to leave Sora behind, but we don't have much of a choice, do we? It's one thing to fight regular Heartless with him there, but if we tried to take on Ansem—" A flood of bad possibilities rushed through her mind. She closed her eyes and tried to shut them out.

"And one more thing," Goofy added. "We gotta keep it a secret from him. He needs to think he's comin' with us. Otherwise he'll just sneak on board the ship and insist on fightin'."

Kairi knew Goofy was right, but the thought of tricking Sora like that didn't sit right with her. He would feel so hurt and betrayed if they lied to him and then left him behind.

"I don't know, Goofy. It seems cruel. Can't I just tell him? I think he'll understand." Sora was stubborn, but he wasn't stupid. His pride might be wounded, but she was sure he'd do as she asked. He was always willing to comply with her requests back home, after all, even if his lazy tendencies meant his cooperation was delayed.

"No, I don't think he will. He doesn't think of his own safety when you're around."

Kairi was silent. Goofy's words were true, as recent events had proven, but it still felt wrong to lie to her friend. "Okay," she finally said. She didn't agree, but it was clear Goofy wouldn't see eye to eye with her on this.

Goofy narrowed his eyes. "You're plannin' on tellin' him anyway, aren'tcha?"

"Y-yes." Her face flushed. How could he tell?

He sighed and shook his head. "I can't stop you, but think about what's best for him before you do. We don't want him gettin' hurt any worse than he already has."

And there it was. The guilt trip. Kairi sighed, because Goofy had won and they both knew it. She never wanted Sora to get hurt because of her ever again. She would do anything to keep him safe, and if that meant she had to lie to his face, then so be it.

 _I'm sorry, Sora. I hope you'll forgive me._

oOo

As always, thank you for reading! A big thanks to my reviewers as well.

I had a couple of guest reviews on the last chapter that I didn't get to respond to yet, so to Chirithy564, thank you for the review! I'm glad you like the story so far.

And to lady, gracias por la… revisión? Crítica? Review? Lo siento, no sé qué palabra en español usar, jajaja. I studied a little bit of Spanish in junior high school, but it's been a long time. I had to use Google Translate to help me. Thank you for commenting though, I really appreciate it!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Parting

It was always night in Traverse Town, but Donald and Goofy insisted on keeping a regular sleep schedule anyway. Their little group was resting at the hotel in the Second District one more time before setting out. The Heartless mostly stayed in the halls and kept out of their rooms, but even still, Kairi couldn't sleep. All she could think about was her impending separation from Sora and the battle with Ansem. She tossed and turned for hours, unable to get a moment's rest.

"Sora?" she whispered. He was standing guard by the window. He'd been staring out of it for what felt like ages. At the sound of her voice, he turned and looked at her. "I can't sleep again," she finally admitted, hoping he would understand what she really meant.

He waddled over and jumped up on the bed, curling up beside her. She smiled and thanked him. His yellow eyes glowed bright in the darkness, and she lifted a hand out from under the covers to touch his face.

"I haven't forgotten what I said before," she said softly. His little claw grabbed onto her hand and held it tight. She felt a pang of guilt at what she knew she had to do. He didn't deserve this. "Sora," she choked out, "I won't let the darkness take you from me. I'll find a way for you to be human again."

He tilted his head. No doubt he was trying to figure out what had caused her sudden outburst. She hadn't told him, but she also wanted to make it clear that she wasn't abandoning him. He'd understand when the time came. Her eyes traveled to the necklace around his neck. She reached down and touched it, willing it to bring them back together no matter what. A soft light glowed as her magic worked its way into the charm.

"There." She smiled. "Wherever you go, I'm always with you."

Sora regarded her for a long moment. Then he nuzzled her cheek before settling into the crook of her neck. She hoped the darkness hid the way her face burned. Especially since she'd been thinking about how nice it would be if he were actually—

 _Kairi, stop,_ she commanded herself.

It didn't work. She could practically feel his spiky hair under her chin.

 _It's a good thing he can't read your mind._ She readjusted the covers so he was tucked in beside her. She was about to put her arms around him when something stopped her.

 _Why – why is my heart pounding?_

Then another thought occurred to her. _He-he's a Heartless, he can probably tell!_

 _Great, now I really_ am _embarrassed._

 _Oh, stop. This is Sora. There's no need to be ashamed. You had camping trips and sleepovers all the time when you were kids._

 _Yeah, but we're not kids anymore! We're—_

She looked at the dark creature nestled beside her.

 _We're a human and a Heartless._

The reality of their situation sank back in. It was just too cruel, what had happened to him. She hugged him tight and cried, her tears soaking the pillow. He wriggled out of her grasp and gave her a concerned look.

"I'm okay," she sniffed. "I'm just crying for you."

For a moment, she thought she saw tears glisten in his eyes. But it couldn't be. Heartless didn't cry. No matter how much they might want to. All the same, she pulled him back into her arms. He clung to her, and her whole body shook as she cried for them both.

Afterwards, she went to go blow her nose and wash her face. No use trying to sleep with her face all puffy and snot smeared everywhere. When she returned, he was still in her bed, his chest slowly rising and falling.

 _He's… asleep?_

She couldn't believe it. Heartless weren't supposed to be able to sleep, right? He hadn't been able to, not since he'd become one. Yet here he was, his eyes closed and his breathing even. She leaned over to tuck him in. Sure enough, he only briefly stirred as she climbed back into bed beside him. Seeing him so relaxed helped her relax, too. It wasn't long before she found herself joining him, slipping into the realm of dreams.

oOo

 _Kairi…_

Her back was to him, her red hair shining in the late afternoon sun. She turned around and smiled. He loved the way her smile lit up her face and made her eyes shine.

"Sora." She held her arms wide, and he ran to her. But when he tried to hug her back, he cried out in shock at the arms attached to his body. They belonged to a Heartless, not to him. How had they—

He looked at Kairi, and she stared back at him with a mixture of horror and pity.

" _No! This isn't me. Kairi, can't you see?!"_

This body was all wrong. He had to get rid of it. He clawed at it, hoping that might free him from it.

"Sora, stop! You'll hurt yourself!"

But he couldn't. He couldn't bear it anymore. He wanted to be able to eat again, to feel the wind blow through his hair and the ground solid beneath his feet. He wanted to see Riku, to argue with Donald and ask Goofy for advice, to experience Kairi's warm embrace instead of the icy cold and slight pressure touching anything gave him.

He wanted to laugh and cry and scream. He wanted to be human.

He woke with a start, bleary eyes blinking open. He was still in the bed in the hotel in Traverse Town. The blanket was tucked carefully around him, and his head rested against the pillow.

 _Was I… asleep?_

He'd felt so safe with Kairi that he'd let his guard down. After that first night, he'd been hoping she'd ask him to stay with her again. He took any excuse to be near her. Every time they hugged, he remembered what it was like to be human. She saw him through his Heartless form, saw the boy trapped inside that wanted nothing more than to be himself again. He wanted to hug her back, to hold her safe in his arms and tell her that he didn't blame her for what happened, that he'd still make the same decision if he were given the choice.

He knew what it was now, the thing that had driven him to sacrifice everything for her sake – not because he valued his own life so little, but because he valued hers so much. He was beginning to suspect she felt the same way. It was just his luck that he'd figured that out when he had no way to tell her how he felt. Hugs could only go so far; he wanted words.

He rolled over. _Kairi…_

She wasn't there. Where could she have gone? He searched the room, and Donald and Goofy's, but no one was there.

 _Did something happen? Did they—_

He ran down the hall as fast as he could, but his legs just wouldn't let him move as quickly as he wanted to. He shrank into the floor and sped up, his shadow racing across it. Emerging outside, he searched for any sign of them. Nothing.

Back into the ground. His shadow continued on, going to where the Gummi Ship was parked. He was just in time to see it take off. For a fleeting moment, he saw Kairi through the window. Her eyes met his, and the sadness and guilt in them confirmed his fears. Then the ship blasted off, disappearing through the Warp Hole that had opened up.

He hung his head. _She's gone._ Suddenly, her behavior the previous night made sense. He'd wondered if something like this might happen, but he'd pushed it out of his head, not wanting it to be true.

She'd known she was leaving, and she'd kept it from him. Betrayal coursed through him at the thought. His mind clouded, the darkness encroaching and threatening to take over.

 _No, no, I can't give into the darkness._ Then another panicked thought entered his head. _What if I lose myself now that she's gone?_ She had brought him back to consciousness. What would happen without her there?

As if in response, the necklace around his neck glowed bright. _"Wherever you go, I'm always with you."_ He looked back up to the sky. The remaining stars shone bright as ever, twinkling like diamonds.

 _There should be more. The sky looks so empty now._ What would happen if they were all gone? What would happen to Donald and Goofy and Riku and Kairi if—

He knew what he had to do.

 _Kairi. Wait for me. I'll come back to you, I promise._

oOo

Kairi didn't want to leave. When Donald and Goofy came to wake her up, Sora was still sound asleep in her arms. All she had time to do was tuck him back in before they whisked her away. They raced to the Gummi Ship, knowing it was only a matter of time before Sora realized what had happened.

Sure enough, he found them as they were taking off. When she looked into his eyes, his appearance flickered, and the look of utter betrayal and despair he gave her broke her heart.

"Donald, wait!" she cried. But it was too late. They traveled through the Warp Hole and were thrown into an asteroid field, rocks flying at them from every direction. Donald sped full speed ahead, expertly weaving in and out of them to the next Warp Hole.

"Please, can we go back? I saw him, and it was like he wasn't even a Heartless anymore. He was himself again!"

"Wak!"

"Kairi, what're you sayin'?" Goofy asked. Donald dodged an incoming projectile, and the ship went spinning.

"Weren't Aerith and Yuffie supposed to take him to Merlin's? Why was he by himself?! Please, you have to take us back!"

A huge chunk of rock crashed into them. A loud beeping sounded, and Kairi eyed it in alarm.

"Uh-oh, those are the shields, aren't they?" Goofy asked, putting his hands over his mouth in his nervous tic.

"Hang on," Donald said. "Let me see if I can—"

A swarm of Heartless ships descended upon them. Donald muttered a string of disgruntled rants under his breath.

"Hold on!" Goofy braced himself, and Kairi did the same. Donald tried to navigate them back to Traverse Town, but the Heartless had completely cut off the route. They were pushed closer and closer to the Warp Hole.

"Donald!"

"I'm sorry, Kairi, I can't—"

One last Heartless ship collided with them and sent them flying through the Warp Hole.

"No! Donald, we have to go back!" she begged. She couldn't get Sora out of her head. Something was wrong. It had been a mistake to leave him alone.

"The ship's too damaged, we need to find somewhere to land!" Donald maneuvered through the sky, searching for somewhere, anywhere they could do repairs.

"There! Up ahead!" Goofy pointed to a world that had suddenly appeared on their map. A violet miasma swirled around it, blue lightning emerging from its core to strike the nearby sky. Looking at it, Kairi felt something was terribly wrong. She almost warned Donald not to land there, but really, they didn't have much of a choice. The ship was already crashing. Controlled crashing, thanks to Donald's efforts, but crashing all the same. Kairi braced herself for the inevitable landing.

 _Sora… Riku… wait for me, okay? I'll find you, no matter what._

oOo

A/N: Hey everyone, thank you for reading! That was the penultimate chapter. Only one more to go! And thank you Chirithy564 for the review on Chapter 3! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, too.

I'm going to be traveling next week with limited computer access, so the date for the last chapter will be December 3rd. See you then!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Here I Come

"Sora! Where are you?" Yuffie called. She searched the hotel room with Aerith, but he was nowhere to be found. They asked all around town for the strange Heartless wearing a necklace, but no one had seen him.

Dejected, they returned to their house to tell Cid and Leon the news. But to their surprise, Sora was already there, perched on the dresser.

"Sora! When did you get here?" Aerith asked. Yuffie went to scratch his chin like he was a cat, and Aerith could have sworn he gave her a slightly disgruntled look.

"He came in not long after Donald and Goofy and Kairi left," Cid said. "He's been waitin' here ever since. Leon's getting supplies, he'll be back soon."

"Oh, okay." Aerith turned to Sora and smiled. "We're here to take you to Merlin's. He's going to watch over you till they get back."

Yuffie bobbed her head up and down in agreement. "Yeah, Donald and Goofy asked us to! We'll be leaving soon, so it's the least we can do."

He followed them to Merlin's house. They wished him the best and said goodbye, knowing they were leaving him in good hands. What they didn't notice was his shadow sneaking past them on their way back. They didn't see him slink towards Cid's Gummi Ship and slip inside. He hid himself so well that they didn't even realize he was there when they took off.

 _Kairi, I'm coming._

oOo

They were stranded on a lonely and alien world. Dark rocks jutted out of the water. Sky and sea met in a purple mist, and in the distance, an unearthly glow beckoned. It was like a dying star, the way its light spiraled into the horizon. The Heartless here were powerful. The darkness in this realm was great, and the further they went, the stronger it became. Kairi felt sick to her stomach, knowing they were drawing ever closer to the heart of great evil.

Still, they carried on. They had to. The worlds were counting on them. Sora and Riku and the rest of their friends were counting on them. And Kairi had made a promise. She had to fight, she had to win, and she had to return to Sora. She couldn't stop until she did.

 _Sora, wait for me._

oOo

The other Heartless were cruel. They knew something was different about him. Their claws tore into him, leaving gashes and sores. Their kicks sent him reeling. Black smoke oozed from his wounds, attracting even more of them like vultures to their prey. His only escape was to sink into the ground. He had no way of healing himself, and it was all he could do to carry on.

But at long last, he found a Heartless ship. He limped onboard, willing it to take him where he needed to go.

 _Kairi, I-I'm coming._

oOo

Ansem was a difficult opponent. He fought Kairi in the ruins of her home. He taunted her about Riku. He mocked her about Sora. His Guardian caught her over and over again, his master's shouts to submit ringing in her ears. Donald and Goofy did everything they could to help, but after their first fight with Ansem, a barrier cast them away. She'd faced an enormous Darkside on her own, and now Ansem and his Guardian were back.

There was no way Riku's heart and soul were still here. Otherwise, he would have stopped Ansem long ago. Riku might have changed, but he'd never let someone hurt her like this.

 _Riku… I hope you're okay…_

She was getting tired, exhaustion settling over her and slowing her movements. Ansem's next attack sent dark orbs rushing after her. One of them caught her square in the chest, and she stumbled to the ground.

 _No… I can't give up now._ She healed herself and struggled to her feet. Dodging his next attack, she checked her pocket. She only had one ether left.

"Submit!" Ansem's Guardian had her again. She thrashed and struggled, trying to break free from its grasp. He laughed in her face. "Did you really think you could stop me? You're weak!" He grabbed her and sent her flying. She landed on the ground with a crash and groaned.

 _He's right. Why did I ever think I could win? And without Donald and Goofy's help…_

But then she thought of Sora and Riku. For their sake, she would fight until the very end. She used her last ether and stood.

"Still you resist me! You foolish—"

Ansem stopped and stared at something behind her. She knew better than to turn around and look, but she couldn't help herself.

A lone Heartless stumbled over the ridge. Ansem's barrier had no effect on it. Its antenna had been ripped, the torn portion dangling low over its face, and one of its yellow eyes was swollen shut. Black smoke oozed out of wounds all over its body as it drug itself along, and it held tight to something in its claw. Kairi gasped when she saw what it was. She clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from crying out.

It wasn't enough. Ansem noticed, a cruel glint filling his eyes. "Attack her!" he commanded.

Sora stopped and stared at him for an agonizing moment. Then he continued his slow, pained crawl to her side. When he finally reached her, he didn't attack. He simply held up her lucky charm instead. She threw her arms around him, her eyes filling with tears.

"You came back," she whispered, hardly believing her own words. But he was really here, torn and beaten and barely able to move, but here. Even after she'd left him behind, he'd found his way back to her side. She was so moved by what he'd done that everything else seemed to pale in comparison. He was here, and that was all that mattered.

Ansem was displeased with Sora's lack of cooperation. "If you will not submit," he shouted, "then you will be destroyed!" Kairi whirled around, only to see more of his dark orbs come hurtling towards them.

"Sora!" she cried. She shielded him with her body, closing her eyes and bracing herself for the worst.

oOo

It was cold. Sora had been in pain for some time now. Only his drive to see Kairi had kept him going. Now that he'd found her again, he grew calm and his mind cleared. Ansem ordered him to attack her, but it didn't matter. If turning into a Heartless couldn't get him to hurt her, nothing in all the worlds would.

He made his way over to her. _Just – a little – further._ There. He'd finally done it. He handed her her charm, carefully guarded even after it had been ripped from his neck. There was no way he'd lose her precious gift. He'd protected it with his life.

 _Kairi, I'm here._

She gave him another one of her hugs that he'd grown to love so much. Her heart beat warm and steady against him as he melted in her embrace. Then she let go, and Ansem attacked, and—

She stayed. She protected him, putting her life at risk for his sake. Emotion welled up deep within him as he realized what her selfless act meant.

 _Kairi, I…_

What she'd done enacted the most powerful magic there was. Her voice called out to him in the darkness. He followed it, followed the light of her heart as she led him back to her. His own heart swelled with warmth as it connected to hers, and that warmth coursed through him, breathing life back into cold limbs and spreading all the way to his toes and fingers.

He was overwhelmed by pure, unadulterated joy. Did she even realize what she was doing? He had the urge to laugh, amazed by her ability and overcome by the affection filling his heart. He wrapped his arms around her. They were his arms, finally strong enough to hold her tight again. Never had he been so happy to be alive, to be human.

And now his voice. For too long he'd been without one, with no way to express his thoughts, no way to scream or cry or laugh. But that was all behind him now. His first words would be dedicated to her. He took a deep breath and spoke.

oOo

The attack Kairi had braced herself for never came. Instead, she felt light burst forth from deep within her, and then her face was pressed against something warm and familiar. A steady beat thrummed against her cheek, and strong, sturdy arms wrapped themselves around her.

"Kairi, thank you."

His voice was the most wonderful sound in the world. She said his name and looked up into his eyes, not sure if she was imagining the whole thing again. What if it was just like all those other times? What if he was still a Heartless?

But then he smiled, and that's when she knew. It was really, truly him. She took in every inch of his dear face. He gazed down at her, such warmth and gratitude and tenderness in his expression that her heart was filled to the brim.

"Sora!" Ansem's barrier had collapsed, and Donald and Goofy were back. They hugged their friend, then scolded him for making them worry so much, then finally apologized for leaving him behind. Kairi did, too, sorry that she'd ever agreed to being separated from him in the first place. At least they were all together again now. But their happy reunion couldn't last forever. Ansem still needed to be defeated. When they looked around for him, he was nowhere to be found.

"Must be deeper in the darkness," Goofy said. "We gotta keep movin' forward."

"Here, you should have this," Kairi said, summoning the Keyblade and handing it to Sora. He let it disappear and then made it rematerialize, satisfied that it recognized his call once more.

"But Kairi, how will you fight?" he asked.

She drew Merlin's wand from her pocket. "I've still got this, remember?" She forced a smile, but even she thought the wand might not be enough. She'd learned a lot of magic, but it wasn't the same as having a Keyblade. She sighed, and the puff of air that escaped her mouth sent her bangs flying. "But I wish I had a Keyblade of my own. That way I could still protect you."

Sora put his hand on hers. The warmth from his touch traveled up her hand and reached her heart. There was that strange tugging from before. Her arm felt heavy, and a blade materialized in her hand.

The shaft was a blend of yellow, orange, and red. Flowers like the ones she used to pick for her grandmother grew off the blade, and the heart-shaped hilt swirled into an ocean's wave. A paopu charm and chain were attached to the hilt. She stared at the Keyblade in wonder. It was like Radiant Garden and Destiny Island had been joined together as one.

"Woah," Sora whispered. He summoned his Keyblade and held it next to hers.

 _It's… it's beautiful._ She ran her hand across the smooth metal, marveling at its balance and weight.

"See, Kairi? What'd I tell ya?" Goofy put a hand on her shoulder.

Donald was bouncing up and down. "Now both of you can fight!"

"Yeah." She let the blade disappear, then rubbed the back of her neck and chuckled. "I did use my last ether though. Guess I'll have to make the most of the magic I have left."

Donald and Goofy insisted she take their extras. Sora dug around in his pockets and placed one more in her hand, along with her lucky charm. She took the ether but handed the charm back.

"Sora, I want you to keep it until we get home."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. It was her charm, of course, but she'd really made it for him.

He smiled. "Thanks, Kairi." He attached it to his Keyblade, and it transformed. The blade shone silver and gold and blue, the end twisting into a heart entwined with the symbol for light. A paopu charm was attached to the hilt of his Keyblade, too, a poignant reminder of the home they'd both lost. Sora waved the Keyblade in the air, testing its balance and swing.

"Looks great!" Donald said, admiring the weapon. He took out his staff and nodded at Goofy.

"Ready?" Goofy asked, his shield in hand. Ansem still waited, after all, ever deeper within the darkness.

Kairi's Keyblade was in one hand, her other hand in Sora's. She turned to him and smiled.

"Yeah," he replied, smiling back.

They were in the heart of darkness, awful and twisted and bleak, but seeing his smile again calmed her heart and gave her hope. Together, she knew the four of them could take on Ansem and restore the worlds. Riku and the king were still out there, and they'd find them, she knew they would. They set off, ready for whatever the future might hold.

oOo

A/N: A big thank you to all my readers! As always, I appreciate the time you took to read the story and hope you enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun to write, especially Goofy's conversations with Kairi. Sora as a Heartless was interesting to work with, too - I kept imagining what he would say and do as a human to help shape his interactions with Kairi, to show that he was gaining more and more of his humanity back as time went on.

And thank you, Mr. Spinner, FandomChanger, Chirithy564, lady, Lumiere D'Amour, 3DegreesOfFreedom, miano53, and Guest for your reviews! Your support means a lot.

I passed the 50,000-word mark on the sequel to Dear Sora this weekend. The rough draft for the first twelve chapters is finished. There will probably be around 16-18 chapters total. I'm thinking it'll be ready to start posting by about January or February, but we'll see. Stay tuned!


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